A Gilmore Guide to Moving On
by Spinny
Summary: Rory’s past returns to her as she tries to write her graduation speech.


Title: A Gilmore Guide to Moving On  
  
Author: Spinny  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Pairing: Trory  
  
Summary: Rory's past returns to her as she tries to write her graduation speech.  
  
Improv: Gamut- Grotto- Guilt- Gloaming- Greed  
  
Today had been the last day she had walked to halls of Chilton. It had been her hell, her anguish, her fear, her sadness. It had been her life for three long, hard years. She was glad to be rid of it, yet she knew she was afraid to move on. There were so many things that she had left within those walls, things she had lost. Sighing she sat down on the stone steps outside and pulled out the blank page that was supposed to be her valedictorian address. She hadn't been able to write anything in the past few days and graduation was only 24 hours away. She sighed and checked her watch. Her mom had promised to pick her up after her last final ten minutes ago.  
  
Leaning back against the cold brick wall she heard the door creak open behind her and a single shoe step down in front of her. She glanced up, her breath caught in her throat. Memories, thoughts, came flooding back to her. It was him, he'd haunted her thoughts after he'd left, yet now he leaned so casually against the brick wall above her, ignoring the scratches it was making on his brown suede jacket. A gamut of emotions played on his face as he stared down at her. Guilt, sadness, anger, and happiness all mixed up and imprinted on his face. She recognized them all. It had been two years and she still recognized them.  
  
"Rory." He said, her name rolling off his tongue easily and slipping down to meet her ears. It was a sound he hadn't made often in the short time they had spent together. Sometimes she thought it wasn't short enough, other times she wished for more moments, to get to know the human being inside.  
  
"I'm surprised you remembered my name. You've only ever used it once or twice." She retorted with a tiny smile on her lips, just a very small once. She didn't want him to think she was actually happy to see him. Suddenly her pager went off, a small frown crossed her lips and she read the message. R-car trble. No pick up. Bus. Luv ya-Mom. She groaned and checked her watch. The next bus wouldn't be arriving for another hour. He sat down next to her on the steps.  
  
"What?" He asked his voice was different from what she remembered, less cocky, and more caring. She could tell her was different.  
  
"I just lost my ride and I missed the bus ten minutes ago." She replied trying not to play the role of the helpless girl. She didn't want him to offer her a ride because she knew she would accept. The problem was the acceptance of the ride wasn't him, at all. It was her.  
  
She didn't trust herself.  
  
"Do you want a ride?" He asked. She winced and froze. She knew this was inevitable, groaning she nodded and followed him to his car, a green jeep, nothing flashy. She was surprised.  
  
"This is a good car." She said buckling her seat belt up. He grinned at her, not a smirk that made her want to scream, but a nice grin. A sweet grin.  
  
"I like it." He replied flipping the radio on and pulling out of the parking lot. As he turned onto the highway she spoke.  
  
"When did you get back?" She asked in a quiet and reserved manner, trying to keep words inside her mouth.  
  
"Today, I came to visit, look around. I graduated too." He said this all without looking at her, concentrating on the road.  
  
"Congratulations. Are you coming to the ceremony tomorrow?" She questioned, again trying to control other words from escaping. Almost taking a vow of silence.  
  
Almost.  
  
"Yeah, I think so. How's the speech coming?" He glanced over at her quickly and she stared straight ahead.  
  
"It's not ." She replied and that was all. They lapsed into silence until they had passed the "Welcome to Stars Hollow" sign on the outskirts of the tiny town. "Off here," she said. "Tristan," she began, finally letting the words come up, the question she wanted to hear the answer too. She already knew the answer but she wanted to hear it. "Why did you come back? Turn right."  
  
He sucked in a lot of air and made the turn slowly, but surely then pulled over. He stopped the car and faced her for the first time that day. "I'm sorry." He said sincerely, blue eyes on blue eyes. "I'm sorry I was so immature, I'm sorry I treated you like crap."  
  
She stared back at him, this elusive person who had littered her thoughts in many forms, hate, anger, lust, hate, forgiving. Finally she was letting it go. "Thanks." She said with a small smile, small enough that it didn't betray what she was feeling. Small enough to let him know he'd lost, she'd won.  
  
"So, anything new?" He asked turning the car back on and turning into the street.  
  
"Hang a left at the cow," she said "Not much, Dean and I broke up, I dated another guy for a while, didn't work out. My mom's in burned down but they're in the process of pulling a new one together. I'm going to Yale. How about you?" She asked she liked this new person sitting next to her.  
  
"I'm undecided. I was accepted to Yale, Princeton and Harvard, but I live in the realm of the undecided. I have a place at all of them I just haven't made a choice yet." He replied. Pausing at a stop sign, she nodded and he kept driving.  
  
"This is me," she said and he pulled to a stop. "Thanks. So much, I appreciate it. Will I see you tomorrow?"  
  
"You bet," he replied and he drove away down the rough stone road. As she watched him leave inspiration struck. She pulled out a pen and ran into the house.  
  
The following afternoon she sat in the speakers chair a little nervous. The crowd was big and she wasn't as ready as she wanted to be. Still, when her name was called she walked up to the microphone and began.  
  
We wake up in the breakdown of the things we never thought we could be. (Goo Goo Dolls) These words were spoken by a modern everyday band but they hold a lot of meaning to me, and you. We are at a crossroads, not just in our lives but in our identities. It is a time for change; we've learned all we can from these teachers, within these stone walls and among each other. It is a time to take chances and risks because I think that everyone in this room underestimates themselves or will in the future. We all can do it; we all have the skills to do it. It's what we've spent the last four years honing. Our abilities to live among people and live the best we can. This is our time to wake up, because I know that everyone in this room knows what they want to be. Now go out, live and be what you want to be because you can. We all can. Thanks for a wonderful three years and good luck.  
  
It was too short, she knew it was too short but it seemed to hit everyone the way she wanted it too because thirty seconds after she'd stepped down from the podium everyone in the room was standing and applauding her. She looked to the back row and saw him there, smiling at her in that brown suede jacket. She smiled back and threw her hat in the air just like everyone else.  
  
That night when she walked through the door of Louise's mansion she was greeted with applause. She signed more yearbooks than she would've dreamed of. It was funny how her words had affected everyone so much. She smiled guiltily grabbing her third soda of the night. It wasn't greediness though, it was thirst. She wasn't a greedy type of person.  
  
Stepping outside she ran into him, his face imprinted on the gloaming night sky. "Some Grotto." He said staring up at the mansion.  
  
"Ooh SAT word," she said with a sarcastic grin.  
  
"I liked your speech." He retorted an avidly ignoring her childish tone. "Thanks." She replied and turned to head inside. He grabbed her arm and she turned around.  
  
"May I escort you?" He asked with a fake accent, his blonde hair wavering in the night breeze.  
  
"Sure," she replied and followed him back inside.  
  
As the night wore on Rory realized something. She was happy. She was looking forward to tomorrow and the next day. She was finally journeying on to something new and exciting and all it took was a little letting go. 


End file.
